'Church is no place for sex abusers'

Sex abuse by priests is "rightly considered a crime by society," and "there is no place in religious life for abusers", Pope John Paul II told American cardinals at the Vatican today.

"To the victims and their families, wherever they may be, I express my profound sense of solidarity and concern," he told the closed-door meeting in a speech released by the Vatican.

They were the Pope's strongest words since allegations of sex abuse by priests in the US began pouring out in January. They came at the start of an unprecedented two-day meeting with leaders of the US Roman Catholic Church intent on establishing ways of protecting children.

The Church is accused of sheltering paedophile priests in a cover-up that has shaken the confidence of the faithful. Facing mounting criticism for his apparently slow response to the furore, the Pope summoned a dozen US cardinals to the Vatican at only a week's notice.